Columbus man pleads guilty in slashing death

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A central Indiana man has pleaded guilty but mentally ill to charges that he killed a woman by slashing her throat inside the apartment that they shared.

Ryan Klug, 36, admitted during a Bartholomew County court hearing Thursday that he killed 26-year-old Adaobi Obih on Nov. 17 in their Columbus apartment before fleeing to the Texas Gulf Coast. Her body was found two days later.

Klug faces a potential sentence of 45 years to 65 years in prison despite the guilty but mentally ill plea on the murder charge, county Prosecutor Bill Nash told The Republic .

"The only special consideration set out through that plea is that (Klug) will receive psychiatric treatment through the Correction Department," Nash said. "He's not entitled to get anything else."

Two psychiatrists who examined Klug told the judge that he is schizophrenic but knew right from wrong when he attacked Obih.

Klug told Indianapolis clinical psychiatrist Don Olive in interviews that on the morning of Obih's death he was obeying a message on his television saying, "Killer, killer, redneck, kill her."

Obih was sharing the two-bedroom apartment with Klug to save on expenses, her friends said.

Klug's defense attorney, David Nowak, said Klug previously underwent mental health treatment in Michigan after a choking attack on his brother.

Klug decided to make the guilty but mentally ill plea because he wanted to spare Obih's family and his family from having to go through a trial, Nowak told The Associated Press.

"Mr. Klug has been open and honest about what occurred to the best of his ability," Nowak said. "He readily admits his guilt to this crime."

Klug's sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 22.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.